Keyboard controls
This section lists the keyboard controls specific to Trace Modeler. Standard UI elements like menu items, buttons, lists, etc. should work the same as in any other program on your system.
Almost all of Trace Modeler's functionality can be accessed with the keyboard. For certain features, the keyboard is the faster/easier way to use them. So be sure to glance over the controls below, you might find a shortcut you don't know about yet..
Terminology
In this manual, the following terminology is used when discussing how to get things done by using the keyboard :
Term |
Explanation |
A |
Press the 'a' key |
CTRL-A |
Press the 'a' key whilst holding down the ctrl key |
SHIFT-A |
Press the 'a' key whilst holding down the shift key |
LEFT |
Press the left arrow key |
F1 |
Press function key F1 |
DEL |
Press the delete key |
Keyboard controls specific to text edit mode
These controls can only be used when text edit mode is active.
Basically, editing text in Trace Modeler works the same as in other programs and you can also use the standard keyboard shortcuts for cut, copy and paste. Note that text can span multiple lines.
- ENTER confirms the changes you've made and leaves text edit mode
- ESC confirms the changes you've made and leaves text edit mode
- SHIFT-ENTER and CTRL-ENTER add a newline to the text you're editing (i.e. adds an extra line to the text)
- CTRL-Z will undo the latest changes, CTRL-Y will to redo them
- All standard text editing capabilities of your platform are support, for example on Windows
- LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, HOME, END for cursor navigation
- in combination with CTRL for rapid navigation
- CTRL-A and cursor navigation in combination with SHIFT for text selection
- CTRL-X, CTRL-C, CTRL-V for cut, copy and paste of selection
Note that TAB characters are always replaced with spaces.
Keyboard controls specific to diagram edit mode
The controls below can only be used when diagram edit mode is active.
General keyboard controls, whether or not there is a current selection
- CTRL-Z will undo the most recent change to the diagram as recorded in the command history.
- CTRL-Y will redo the most recently undone change to the diagram as recorded in the command history.
- CTRL-E will export the diagram to the clipboard.
- CTRL-UP, CTRL-DOWN, CTRL-LEFT, CTRL-RIGHT will scroll the diagram
- CTRL-MINUS and CTRL-PLUS (both on the numeric keypad) will zoom the diagram.
- HOME will reset the view to the begin position and no zoom.
When there is no current selection
- TAB will set the current selection to the first selectable element.
- SHIFT-TAB will set the current selection to the last selectable element.
- CONTEXT will show the diagram context menu.
When there is a current selection (any kind of element)
- DEL will delete the currently selected element from the diagram.
- F2 will switch to text edit mode (if editable) and highlight all the text.
- ENTER will switch to text edit mode (if editable) and highlight no text.
- CONTEXT will show the context menu of the selected element.
- TAB will select the next selectable element.
- SHIFT-TAB will select the previous selectable element.
When the selected element is a target
When the selected element is a message (i.e. its call arrow, an activation or a return arrow)
When the selected element is a comment
- LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN will move the comment in large increments.
- SHIFT-LEFT, SHIFT-RIGHT, SHIFT-UP, SHIFT-DOWN will move the comment in small increments.
When the selected element is a comment connector
- LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN will move the comment connector in large increments.
- SHIFT-LEFT, SHIFT-RIGHT, SHIFT-UP, SHIFT-DOWN will move the comment connector in small increments.
When the selected element is a combined fragment
When the selected element is an operand
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